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Iowa: EPA threatens to take over waterway protection

Associated Press

Posted:
11/13/2012 12:01:00 AM CST

Updated:
11/13/2012 07:40:10 AM CST

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has threatened to take over protection of Iowa's waterways from the state.

A federal investigation shows the state has been lax in requiring that livestock operations follow rules to keep manure out of Iowa's creeks and rivers, ponds and lakes, according to a report from The Des Moines Register.

The EPA report says the state hasn't properly inspected livestock facilities and failed in its duties about half the time when responding to livestock pollution.

The Iowa Natural Resources Department said the EPA criticism is misplaced.

The agency has been encouraging compliance, rather than imposing fines and other penalties as punishment for failure to follow environmental rules, DNR spokesman Kevin Baskins said. There's evidence the strategy is working, Baskins said.